Mop frame

ABSTRACT

Molded mop frame having a generally oval or rectangular outline including parallel front and back edges joined by end members. Transverse brace members near the center of the frame receive a steel bar for attachment to a handle. Longitudinal brace members extend from the transverse braces to the end members, with additional bracing provided between the longitudinal brace members and the front and back edges.

United States Patent [1 1 Grassman et al.

[451 Dec. 4, 1973 1 MOP FRAME u [75] Inventors: Willard F. Grassman, Dayton;

Malcolm Erich, Xenia, both of Ohio [73] Assignee: Silco, lnc.', Cincinnati, Ohio 221 Filed: July 27, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 275,783

[52] US. Cl. 15/147 A, D7/180 [51] Int. Cl A471 13/24 [58] Field of Search 15/115, 120 R, 147, 15/148, 149, 228, 229, 231; D7/178-180 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Dl9l,783 11/1961 Spotnii D7/l80 2,777,148 1/1957 Belsky et al. 15/228 3,395,416 8/1968 Hughes 15/228 3,457,581 7/1969 Oas 151147 R 3,300,804 1/1967 Benjamin 15/147 A Great Britain 15/229 B 47,386 12/1908 Switzerland 15/231 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney-John W. Melville et al. v

'? I ABSTRACT 3 Molded mop frame having a generally oval or rectangular outline including parallel front and back edges joined by end members, Transverse brace members near the center of the frame receive a steel bar for attachment to a handle. Longitudinal brace members extend from the transverse braces to the end members, with additional bracing provided between the longitudinal brace members and the front and back edges.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 4 I973 snmaor 2 MOP FRAME BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a frame for a mop, and particularly to a light-weight, molded plastic frame for use in cleanable industrial and commerical dry mops.

The production of dry mops is not a new art to say the least. Generally considered, a dry mop of the type under consideration includes a relatively long handle teristics of the mop can be improved by treating the absorbent mass with a variety of well known materials. It is also recognized that this treatment must be repeated or renewed at intervals.

At the same time, it is of course recognized that periodic cleaning is necessary. These cleaning treatments may involve a washing and drying at elevated temperatures, coupled with an oil treatment or the like, also carried out at an elevated temperature.

According to conventional practice, it is customary to remove the absorbent material or cloth from the mop frame for these washing and treating processes. ln the case of large scale mop rental and/or cleaning operations, this removal of the frame from the absorbent material, and the reinsertion of the frame after cleaning or treatment involves a substantial labor operation.

The art has found itimpossible to conduct the cleaning and retreating operations with the conventional frame in place. In the first place, the weight of the frame is such that it would greatly reduce the capacity of the processing equipment. Secondly, the rotation or agitation of the cleaning and treating equipment and more specifically the extraction cycle of the cleaning and treating process would cause the conventional steel frame to be permanently bent out of shape or broken to the extent it can no longer be used.

In the light of these comments, it is an object of this invention to provide a light weight-mop frame which need not be removed during large scale cleaning and treating operations.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a mop frame which, though light in weight, possesses adequate structural and mechanical properties to withstand the cleaning and treating process. The mop frame of this invention will yield under forces exerted by rotation or agitation and extraction and then return to its original'shape.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a mop frame having the characteristics set forth above which may be produced at a cost comparable to or lower than conventional mop frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION gitudinal brace members extend from each of the transverse brace members to the nearest end member. Finally, additional brace members are provided between the longitudinal brace and the front and back edge members. i

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the mop frame of this invention includes the spaced apart, substantially straight, parallel front and back edge members 10 and 12 respectively. These front and back edge members 10 and 12 are joined by the end members 14 and 16 to define a generally oval or rectangular shape seen best a FIG. 2.

Extending between the front and back edge members 10 and 12 are the spaced apart transverse brace members 18 and 20. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the transverse brace members 18 and 20 are tapered in height,

- with the highest point being at the center, and tapering down to meet the top edge of the front and rear edge members 10 and 12.

The transverse brace members 18 and 20 are provided with the central bosses 22 and 24. These central bosses receive the down-tumed ends of the steel bar 26. In actual practice, the steel bar 26 may be ultrasonically inserted into the bosses 22 and 24.

As will be recognized by the skilled worker in the art, the conventional, detachable handle may readily be attached to the mop frame of this invention by joining it in any suitable manner to the steel bar'26.

Extending between the transverse brace 18 and the end member'14 is the longitudinal brace'28. An identical longitudinal brace 30 extends between the transverse brace member 20 and the end member 16. As seen in FIG. 3, these longitudinal braces 28 and-30 taper in height from the highest point adjacent the transverse braces to the outer ends at which point they are of a height substantially equal to the height of the end members 14 and 16.

As best seen in FIG."2, a plurality of sets of brace members 32, 34 are provided which extend between the front orback edge member 10 or 12 and the longitudinal braces 28 and 30. It will be observed that these members 32 and 34 are arranged so that the apex of the triangule is at the longitudinal brace member.

The front and back edge members 10 and 12, the end members 14 and 16, and the triangularly arranged brace members 32 and 34 are all of a common height. They are seen in an enlarged cross section in FIG. 5. They are generally of an inverted T shape, having a flat bottom 36 and an upstanding leg 38. There is a fillet 40 reinforcing the juncture between the upstanding leg and the bottom portion. The bottom of all of the members mentioned above lie substantially in a common plane.

By the same token, the transverse members 18 and 20, and the longitudinal brace members 28 and 30 also include a substantially flat bottom surface lying in substantially the same plane with the bottom surface of the other members described above.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, additional bracing may be provided in the region of the transverse braces 18 and 20. This may take the form of the diagonal members 42 and 44 which extend between the transverse member and either the front edge member or the rear edge member.

It was previously indicated that the bar 26 is preferably of steel. This is necessary in order to provide a rigid member for engagement with the handle. The remainder of the mop frame will be preferably formed by injection molding of a suitable plastic. Empirical investigations have demonstrated that the most satisfactory material is polypropylene. This material, when arranged as described above, will possess sufiicient rigidity and strength to serve satisfactorily as a mop frame and to withstand mechanical agitation during cleaning or other treatment. In addition, this material will readily withstand operating temperatures on the order of up to 150 F.

Actual investigation has again established that a mop frame according to the specifications st forth above need not be removed from the cover prior to the cleaning mop. The cover and mop frame together can be subjected to cleaning and treating operations and spin extraction. Strength is imparted both by the material and the design set forth above.

This ability to utilize a permanent mop frame eliminates the necessity of removal of the frame prior to cleaning and insertion after cleaning. The cost of production in large quantity compares favorably with other mop frames of more conventional materials.

It is believed that the foregoing constitutes a full and complete disclosure of this invention, and no limitations are intended except as specifically set forth in the claims which follow.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A mop frame comprising:

a. parallel front and back edge members;

b. end members joining the ends of said front and back edge members to define a generally rectangular outline;

c. a pair of parallel, spaced apart transverse brace members extending between said front and back edge members and arranged normal to said front and back edge members, said transverse brace members each having a central boss;

d. a bar arranged parallel to said front and back edge members and secured'to said bosses;

e. a longitudinal brace member extending from each said transverse brace member to the nearestend member; and

f. at least one set of additional brace members extending between each said longitudinal brace member and said front edge member and between each said longitudinal brace member and said rear edge member.

2. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said additional brace members are angularly arranged and coverage at said longitudinal brace member.

3. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said front and back edge members, said end members, said transverse brace members, said longitudinal brace members, and said additional brace members all have a substantially flat bottom surface lying substantially in a common plane.

4. The mop frame claimed in claim 3 wherein all saidmembers are of generally inverted T shape in cross section.

5. The mop frame claimed in claim 3 wherein all said members are of polypropylene.

6. The mop frame claimed in claim 5 wherein said bar is of steel.

7. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said transverse brace members are tapered in height from the center to said front and back edge members.

8. The mop frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein said longitudinal brace members are tapered in height from said transverse brace members to said end members.

9. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said front and back edge members, said end members, and said additional brace members are of uniform height.

10. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 including at least one diagonal brace member extending between each said transverse brace member and said front and back edge members. 

1. A mop frame comprising: a. parallel front and back edge members; b. end members joining the ends of said front and back edge members to define a generally rectangular outline; c. a pair of parallel, spaced apart transverse brace members extending between said front and back edge members and arranged normal to said front and back edge members, said transverse brace members each having a central boss; d. a bar arranged parallel to said front and back edge members and secured to said bosses; e. a longitudinal brace member extending from each said transverse brace member to the nearest end member; and f. at least one set of additional brace members extending between each said longitudinal brace member and said front edge member and between each said longitudinal brace member and said rear edge member.
 2. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said additional brace members are angularly arranged and coverage at said longitudinal brace member.
 3. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said front and back edge members, said end members, said transverse brace members, said longitudinal brace members, and said additional brace members all have a substantially flat bottom surface lying substantially in a common plane.
 4. The mop frame claimed in claim 3 wherein all said members are of generally inverted T shape in cross section.
 5. The mop frame claimed in claim 3 wherein all said members are of polypropylene.
 6. The mop frame claimed in claim 5 wherein said bar is of steel.
 7. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said transverse brace members are tapered in height from the center to said front and back edge members.
 8. The mop frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein said longitudinal brace members are tapered in height from said transverse brace members to said end members.
 9. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 wherein said front and back edge members, said end members, and said additional brace members are of uniform height.
 10. The mop frame claimed in claim 1 including at least one diagonal brace member extending between each said transverse brace member and said front and back edge members. 